You might not have seen it coming because you thought DCF was closing their case. Or maybe you anticipated it because DCF was upset that you didn’t follow their recommendations and now they want you to answer to a judge. Here you are: You have been served with a Connecticut DCF Neglect Petition and summoned…
For DCF cases in the Stamford Juvenile Court, most hearings occur on Thursdays. Here is an overview: Orders of Temporary Custody In the most urgent of cases, DCF will remove a child under a 96-hour hold and then apply to a judge for an Order of Temporary Custody (OTC). For a judge to grant…
Filing Termination of Parental Rights in Connecticut? There must be legally sufficient grounds for a judge to terminate parental rights in Connecticut. In my opinion, here are the strongest: 1. Abandonment. This occurs when a parent has failed to maintain a reasonable degree of interest, concern or responsibility as to the welfare of their child….
I get calls from time to time about foster parent appeals. The first question is usually: Do foster parents in Connecticut have any recourse when a child in removed by DCF? The answer is yes – but keep reading……. Except in the case of an emergency, DCF is required to notify a foster parent, in…
An open adoption provides for some form of ongoing contact between a child and his/her biological parents after an adoption has been granted by the Probate Court or Juvenile Court. In Connecticut, open adoption agreements may be governed by Connecticut General Statutes Section 17a-112 or may be based on strict contract principles – referred to…
There are six grounds to terminate parental rights in Connecticut. The three most common are: 1. Abandonment. This occurs when a parent has abandoned the child by failing to maintain a reasonable degree of interest, concern or responsibility as to the welfare of their child. 2. Failure to rehabilitate. Rehabilitation refers to whether or not…